Magdalene pulled over in front of a local eatery and got down with Paula. They walked into the eatery and saw a lot of people enjoying the eatery's signature dish which was hot and sour vegetable soup with rice.
''This place is best known for their hot and sour vegetable soup. It tastes really good and even better than our hotel's hot and sour soup. Don't tell the CEO I said that''
Paula chuckled and shook her head.
''Do you want to eat some before we go? I'm really hungry'' Magdalene said and touched her stomach.
''Sure, let's eat before'' Paula agreed. Magdalene had been nice to her even though they only met today, so she didn't want to refuse her request. Lisa could just wait a few minutes longer for her.
''Boss, two bowls of hot and sour soup with rice. Make the rice mushy and add mushrooms to it'' Magdalene made the order before turning to Paula, 'I hope you like mushrooms?''
''Yes'' Paula smiled. She found Magdalene cute.
''Let me tell you, if you add mushrooms to the rice and eat with the soup…'' she made an exaggerated sound, ''the result is heavenly''
After waiting a few minutes, their food was served and they started eating.
Outside the eatery, three men arrived and looked at the car of Magdalene before giving each other a knowing look. They entered inside and looked around the eatery. When their eyes settled on the two ladies dressed formally, one of them smirked and led the other two over to their table.
Paula was about to sip her soup when she felt someone pull the chair beside her and sat down. she put the soup down and looked at Magdalene. She too had a look of surprise on her face. She didn't know what was going on.
The two men also joined the table and their leader looked at Paula and asked, ''is the red car outside yours?'' he cocked his brows at her.
''Yes, why do you ask?'' Paula asked back and looked at the man who had a little too many piercings on his ears and nose.
''What is the owner of a pretty car like that doing in this alley eatery?''
''Hey, do you know that your actions are rude? Leave this table right now'' Magdalene said impatiently. She glared at the men.
''Wow, cat with claws. Lady, what do you say? Would you take a ride with this Oppa?''
''Ha, ha ha ha ha'' Paula burst into laughter unable to control herself. She finished and looked at the man who called himself 'Oppa'. She wondered if he had too much Korean dramas for him to refer to himself as 'Oppa'.
''Hey, 'Oppa', did you look at yourself in the mirror? Those we call 'Oppa' are handsome brothers not…'' Magdalene didn't complete but the gesture she made with her hand was enough to make the man understand what she meant to say.
''This little bitch'' the man said and banged his fist on the table before standing up. ''I was going to go easy on you because you are women but what?'' he said angrily.
The two men he came with removed daggers and the people who were eating all rushed out leaving the boss of the eatery and Paula and Magdalene.
Magdalene looked at them and cussed, ''shit. I really didn't want my new darling to see my dark side'' she said and looked at Paula, ''darling, I'm sorry that you had to see this side of me on our first meeting''
''Darling? Are you two lesbians?'' the man asked and touched Paula's shoulder and she pushed his hand away.
''Hey, touch her again and that hand won't be yours anymore'' Magdalene said looking at the men.
''What? What are you going to do?'' he asked and looked at Paula lustfully. It made Paula feel extremely uncomfortable and she tried to step back and bumped into one of the men.
Magdalene started laughing like a crazy woman and the three men looked at her. She hit the table walked out to the open space and said to Paula, ''darling go and sit over there and let me handle this. if I don't show this lunatic who their father is then, I am not Mandy''
''Fine, I love girls who play hard to get'' the leader of the gang said stepped in front and Magdalene pushed Paula behind her. Paula stuffed her hand into her bag to remove her phone.
The woman boss of the eatery hid under the tables frightfully, not wanting anything to do with what was happening. Some of the people that ran outside stood at the door watching.
''Who wants to get beaten first? come out. By the time I am done with you, I want you three to call me Big Pops'' Magdalen gestured with her hand, beckoning them to come forth.
''This little bitch is really getting on my nerves'' the leader said and rushed on Magdalene but she mere stepped back and the man ran forth. She held his collar from behind and hit his face on the table and use one leg to kick one of the men who was about to hit her. He fell down and Magdalene lifted the leader's head and hit it again on the table and his nose broke.
Paula who was standing aside with her phone in her hand had forgotten she had dialled Lisa's in her moment of fright and was now watching the scene curious. She marvelled each time Magdalene hit the men. The phone connected and Lisa's voice could be heard from the other side.
''Yes, hit him'' Paula said and Lisa heard her voice and the noise on the background.
Magdalene looked at Paula and smiled asking, ''are you having fun, darling?''
Paula nodded her head and saw one of the men lifting up a chair and she pointed at him, ''oh, chair!!''
Magdalene pushed the leader towards the man who took the chair and they both fell down. Paula got a little too excited and stuffed the phone back into her bag and clapped her hands. Magdalene shook her head and chuckled. Paula looked like an amused kid. She turned to the men who were now on the floor and said to them, ''call me big Pops, you idiots'' she said to them and they knelt down in front of her.
''Meg, that was super cool'' Paula said and gave Magdalene and thumbs up.
At the door, Lisa screamed at Paula, ''ya!!! Paula… you''
Paula and Magdalene turned towards the voice.
''Lisa? Andy? What are you two doing here?'' Paula asked and Andy pushed through inside and went to hug her tightly.
''You are safe'' he murmured.
''I only asked for sour soup and you are here getting excited?'' Lisa said after Andy let go of Paula, ''hey, do you know how scared I was when I heard all the noise in the background?''
''Sorry'' Paula apologised and went to touch Lisa.
''Don't touch me. You scared me. I thought that something had happened to you and in a fright, I called Andy and found out he was also waiting for you outside our apartment. Thankfully, your GPS location was on and I was able to find you. You silly girl, what if something happened to you because of me?'' Lisa said and her tears trimmed down. when she heard the background chaos, she had thought that 'that man' had gotten to her friend and was afraid. She was worried sick and had to call Leslie for Andy's number and when she called. She found out he too was waiting outside their apartment for Paula.
''Lisa, I'm sorry'' Paula went forth and hugged Lisa, ''I'm sorry. It won't happen again''
''Again? Are you kidding me? If this happens again, I will kill you and then kill myself. Don't scare me like that ever again'' Lisa said as she hugged Paula tightly, ''it's good that you are safe''
''I am fine all thanks to Magdalene here. She protected me from this man who tried to get touchy with me''
''Touchy?'' Andy's gaze darkened and he pulled Paula over to himself and looked at her, ''did they touch you?'' he asked with a serious gaze.
''Andy, what's wrong?'' Paula asked surprised.
''Tell me. Which of them touched you? Where did they touch you?'' he asked her again and Paula pointed at the leader. The Andy she was seeing now looked really scary. It wasn't her alone, even Lisa and Magdalene felt it too.
''He touched my shoulder'' Paula said to him and Andy stepped forward to the man.
''You dared to touch what's mine?'' he asked and chuckled dryly but it didn't reach his eyes. The men went down on their knees again and started pleading.
''Please spare us. We won't do that ever again'' the leader quickly said.
''That hand, which hand touched her?'' Andy asked the leader and he shook his head. 'Which thug group do you belong to?''
''The scorpions, please spare us''
''If you had touched me or anyone else, I would have spared you but definitely not her. She is my limit. I am going to get in touch with your leader. That hand won't be yours by tomorrow. Do you understand?'' Andy removed his phone and dialled Leslie's number.